Wizard of Oz in Imax 3D

If you’re like me, you grew up watching The Wizard of Oz on TV once a year. I loved that movie growing up and looked forward to the one night a year when I could stay up late to watch it. It was one of the first movies I bought on VHS for myself when I moved out on my own. (Yes, I am that old.) My first two kids, while they enjoyed watching Wizard of Oz, never really fell in love with it. My third, however, totally fell for it. Trouble loved it so much that the theme for her fourth birthday was Wizard of Oz. It’s one of those movies that she likes to put on when she needs some “home” time after a busy week.

So this makes it a no-brainer that when I saw that The Wizard of Oz was being re-released for a limited time in Imax 3D, my girls wanted to go. I took them last weekend, and I’m glad I did because this time, limited time really does mean limited. It’s only supposed to be out for a week.

I’m not a fan of 3D movies. I mean, I get it when a movie is specifically designed to be 3D. I still don’t really enjoy it, but I understand why some people would. Why production companies feel the need to take perfectly good movies and offer a 3D option I don’t understand. Yes, I do understand that it’s all about the money and 3D brings in at least $5 more per ticket. For us, when there’s a regular option, that’s the one I take my kids to.

I was a little bit leery of what they might’ve done to my beloved childhood movie. I was pleasantly surprised. They didn’t change anything about the movie. Nothing jumps out at you while you’re watching. The 3D did give it a clearer, sharper image.

The real bonus, though, was actually watching The Wizard of Oz on the big screen. I don’t know if I ever had the chance when I was a kid, and if I did, I don’t remember. Seeing this movie on a big screen made me appreciate the brilliance of it that much more. The special effects of a tornado, the shift from black and white to color—these were things I always admired for such an old movie, but seeing in in a theater made it more amazing.

The colors popped. The flowers in Munchkinland had a shiny gloss to them. When the wicked witch disappears, you can actually see the trapdoor. That’s not necessarily a good thing, but Shorty and I laughed about it. You’re just able to notice so many more things.

This was definitely worth the price of admission (even at $15 a pop). My girls loved it. I would do it again if given the chance.